ON THE EDGE: THEATRE || VOL. 4
On the eve of the day I turned the magic age of 25, I made my way to HOME to attend the preview event for their latest production, The Oresteia, which débuts this month. There, I watched a short piece from the play and had the opportunity to interview some of the cast. And what I learnt from this illuminating event has not only piqued my interest in the play even more, it has allowed me to have a deeper appreciation for all forms of literature.
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A member of the The Oresteia chorus // Source: Photo by Graeme Cooper for HOME's production ofThe Oresteia
If you have never heard of The Oresteia do not worry, you are not alone. Written by playwright Aeschylus over 2000 years ago, The Oresteia is a Greek tragedy that, at its core, is about justice and tells a tale that is not too unlike the series of topical events today making this story still relevant to current affairs. Considered to be one of the great classics, this particular production of The Oresteia (which runs from 23rd Oct - 14th Nov) is based on Ted Hughes' -one of the finest poets of the 20th Century- interpretation and is turning the trilogy, which would probably need 14 hours to tell the entire story, into a nice under-two-hour performance. And this is all being done under the direction of the award-winning director, Blanche McIntyre.
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Blanche McIntyre, director of HOME's production of The Oresteia// Source: Photo by Dominic Parkes
After listening to Blanche eloquently regale us with the story behind how this version of the play came to be and the background to the 1 minute excerpt we were about to witness, I was forced to put down the pen I was using to take notes and just admire the passion behind this woman stood before me. It was incredibly motivating and set us up quite nicely to watch the short but highly energetic performance with not only an open mind but with wonder as well.
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A member of The Oresteia chorus //Source: Photo by Graeme Coper for HOME's production of The Oresteia
One of the most vital aspects of this play, we were told, is the voice of the citizens. The play employs the opinions of the public (the chorus) to help seek justice for the wrong that was done. And in this version, the chorus was indeed made up of the public - 59 volunteers from Manchester form the chorus company (some of whom had no prior acting experience) and I found this to be quite a nice touch; they make up the three sets of dispossessed voices that help shed light on variety of ways one can think of justice. Another important aspect of the play has to do with the 6 main cast members who play multiple roles that tend to share similar character traits which puts a spin on the natural understanding of character arcs. And I cannot wait to understand the fluidity between the different characters better once I see the play.
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A member of The Oresteia chorus // Source: Photo by Graeme Cooper for HOME's production of The Oresteia
At the end of the night, after having Blanche McIntyre shed a little light on the play, seeing an excerpt of the production and chatting to some of the cast (their ATMS interviews will be published soon so be on the look out), I find myself quite eager to see the full production of what was said to be a very timely and invigorating piece on democracy, war and revenge. To find out even more about this play and/or book a ticket, check out HOME's website.
Mo x
P.S. There are a few behind-the-scenes events regarding this play as well which may be of interest to you like joining a Q&A session with the director, Blanche McIntyre or attending a talk where you'll be given an introduction to the play or getting to hear what the Chorus Community director, Michael Betteridge, has to say.
All photos are courtesy of HOME